Duration
11-Day
Lake Ziway, Ethiopia
11-Day Ultimate Ethiopian Tour
Overview
Explore Ethiopia's rich heritage in Harar, an ancient walled city known for colorful markets, historic mosques, and unique traditions like feeding hyenas, and journey to the Omo Valley, home to diverse tribes such as the Karo, Mursi, and Hamer, where vibrant body painting, distinctive dwellings, and age-old customs offer an unforgettable cultural and scenic experience.
Plan snapshot
Quick Facts
Route
Addis Ababa to Addis Ababa (City)
Via Harar (Town), Lake Ziway, Awasa (City)
Country & park
Ethiopia / Lake Ziway
Style
Mid-range safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Activities
Getting around: minivan, bus, boat, normal 4x4 vehicle, hiking/walking & air transfer
Accommodation
Ferej Hotel Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included - Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included
Meals
Breakfast Included; Meals at Own Expense
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
USD
Rates
Rates Per Person
USD
Start datesSingle2+ people
Jan 1, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
$4,895 USD
$3,190 USD
Jan 1, 2027 - Dec 31, 2027
$4,895 USD
$3,190 USD
Before booking
Important To Know
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour accepts children of all ages.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. Flights may cost more, depending on travel dates. If so, your quote will reflect this.
Quote flow
Request Guidance
We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators ()
Requests are sent directly to the tour operator
If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly
Route
country
Ethiopia
Start
Addis Ababa (Day 1)
Day 1-3
Harar (Town)
Day 4
Lake Ziway
Day 5
Awasa (City)
Day 6
Arba Minch (City)
Day 7-8
Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)
Day 9
Omorate (Lower Omo Valley)
Day 10
Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)
End
Addis Ababa (City) (Day 11)
Tour Features
Mid-range tour
This mid-range tour uses lodges and resorts.
Private tour
This tour will be organized exclusively for you and won't be shared with others.
Can start any day
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
Can be customized
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Suitable for solo travelers
Solo travelers can book this private tour.
Suitable for all ages
This tour is suitable for children of all ages.
Activities & Transportation
Getting around: minivan, bus, boat, normal 4x4 vehicle, hiking/walking & air transfer
This operator can select your international flights, but you'll have to book them yourself
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Accommodation & Meals
Day 1-3
Ferej Hotel Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included
Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 4
Haile Resort Ziway
Mid-range hotel at Lake Ziway – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 5
Haile Resort Hawassa
Mid-range resort in Awasa (City) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 6
Haile Resort Arba Minch
Mid-range hotel in Arba Minch (City) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 7-9
Buska Lodge
Mid-range lodge in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 10
Eco Omo Lodge
Mid-range lodge in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 11
End of tour
(No accommodation)
Meals at Own Expense
Day By Day
Tour step
Arrival
You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
Flight to Dire Dewa then drive to Harar
Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, you will be connected to your domestic flight to Dire Dawa. Upon arrival, our representative will pick you up to explore Dire Dawa, known as a mosaic of cultures and a living museum, where Ethiopian traditions mingle with French, Bulgarian, Greek, Armenian, and Indian influences reflected in the city’s diverse architecture. In the late afternoon, drive to Harar and experience the famous hyena feeding tradition. Budget located in Harar (Town) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Harar (Town) Stay: Ferej Hotel Budget located in Harar (Town) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 2
Full Day in Harar
Stroll through the 16th-century walled city of Harar, the fourth most important city in the Islamic world. Visit the home of Arthur Rimbaud, the renowned 19th-century French poet who lived in Harar as a “gun-runner.” Explore the colorful Islamic market, the Harari Museum, and the house of Ras Mekonnen, father of Emperor Haile Selassie. In the evening, witness the famous “Hyena Man” feeding the hyenas that gather nightly outside the town. Budget located in Harar (Town) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Harar (Town) Stay: Ferej Hotel Budget located in Harar (Town) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 3
Explore Babile and the Valley of Marvels
Explore Babile and the Valley of Marvels The Valley of Marvels has wonderful landscapes, famous for its balancing rock formations. You’ll spend some time there going on short hikes and learning about the geology. Next, you will explore the town of Babile, which has a very large market on Saturdays and a camel market on Mondays and Thursdays. You’ll have time to explore the city at your leisure and explore all the hidden corners of this magical place. At the end of the day, you will return to Harar and rest in preparation for a final day of excitement. Budget located in Harar (Town) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Harar (Town) Stay: Ferej Hotel Budget located in Harar (Town) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 4
Road Trip to Ziway
After breakfast, you will drive to Ziway, enjoying a scenic journey through the central Ethiopian highlands. Along the way, you will pass small villages, rolling farmland, and herds of zebu cattle grazing peacefully along the roadside. The journey offers a glimpse of everyday rural life, with farmers tending to their fields and children playing in the villages. Stop at Lake Langano for views of the shimmering waters and abundant birdlife before continuing to Ziway, a town known for its beautiful crater lakes, fishing communities, and vibrant local culture. Mid-range hotel located at Lake Ziway Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Lake Ziway Stay: Haile Resort Ziway Mid-range hotel located at Lake Ziway Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 5
Explore central rift valley
In the morning, after breakfast, drive to Hawassa, a lively town in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. Explore the city and tour Lake Hawassa, where you can enjoy boat rides, spot diverse birdlife, and savor freshly prepared Ethiopian fish by the lakeside. Then proceed to Wondo Genet, a former royal recreational center built for Emperor Haile Selassie I’s family, where you can relax in the natural thermal baths. In the late afternoon, return to Hawassa to unwind and enjoy a stunning sunset over the lake. Mid-range resort located in Awasa (City) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Awasa (City) Stay: Haile Resort Hawassa Mid-range resort located in Awasa (City) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 6
Drive to Arba Minch
Drive to Arba Minch, En route, you will stop at Dorze Village to see the Dorze People, Popularly known as Ethiopia’s expert weavers and renowned builders of towering huts. They are among the most lively ethnic groups of the famous Omo Valley tribe. Their hut is made up of hardwood poles, woven bamboo, inset, and other natural materials. These huts can stand up to two stories tall and can last up to 80 years. You can find a fireplace, a seating area, and bedrooms inside the main hut. Smaller huts include guest houses, a workshop, a kitchen, and even cattle shed. When their huts are attacked by termites, they can easily remove it from its foundation and relocate it. This shortens the height of the hut but it also allows it to last much longer. Then, continue to Arba Minch and spend the night at the beautiful Lodge. Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Arba Minch (City) Stay: Haile Resort Arba Minch Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 7
Turmi via Konso
After Breakfast, drive to the Konso small town, where the people wear colorful costumes, and use their steep land through impressive terracing; through annual wooden grave marks, they express their status. Their three-story community house called Mora is impressive; all the young boys above 12 years old stay there every night inside till they marry. – Have lunch in Weyto and continue driving to the Arbore tribe, who are pastoralists (livestock farmers). They believe that their singing and dancing eliminates negative energy and with the negative energy gone, the tribe will prosper. The women of the tribe cover their heads with a black cloth and are known to wear very colorful necklaces and earrings. Young children wear a shell type hat that protects their heads from the sun. The Abore use natural colors made from soil and stone for their Body paint. Traditional dancing is practiced by the tribe and wealth is measured by the number of cattle a tribesman owns. Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Stay: Buska Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 8
Nyangatom and Karo
Early morning, depart from Turmi to the village of Kangatan. Here you will cross the Omo River and take a short walk through the local fields to visit a village of the Nyangatom tribe. After the visit, return across the river and proceed to the Karo village of Korcho, with a stunning location lookin over the Omo River. The Karo people, while the smallest tribe of the Omo Valley in number, are also known to be the most decorated. After the visit, return to Turmi for another opportunity to see Jumping of the Bulls. Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Stay: Buska Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 9
Excursion to Omorate
After breakfast, Cross Omo River to visit the Dassanech tribe. The First time, in the Omo Valley, travelers witnessed Ethiopia’s many ethnicities and cultural traditions. The Southern Cultural Route takes travelers to the heart of the most remote tribes, whose animist beliefs strike a chord with the true African experience. In the afternoon drive to Hammer people who have a bull-jumping ceremony; This ceremony is a transformation for young boys from young to adulthood; During the ceremony, you see the real Hamer traditional dance called Evangadi; and also the women from the jumper’s family are being beaten by his friends to show their love to the Jumper and that he is ready for adulthood. Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Omorate (Lower Omo Valley) Stay: Buska Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 10
Drive to Jinka Via Bena Tribe
After breakfast, start driving to Jinka Via Bena Tribe. Just like most of the indigenous tribes in the lower Omo Valley, the Bena practice ritual dancing and singing. The men often have their hair dressed up with a colorful clay cap that is decorated with feathers. Both the men and women wear long garments and paint their bodies with white chalk. Women of the tribe wear beads in their hair that is held together with butter. Mid-range lodge located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Destination: Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) Stay: Eco Omo Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 11
Explore Mursi tribe and fly back to Addis Ababa
Explore Mursi tribe and fly back to Addis Ababa Drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people in their village. The Mursi are well known for the large clay discs their women wear inserted in their lower split lip. The Mursi women start cutting their lips between the age of 12 and 16 and thereafter, they put small wooden plugs into the hole and change it every night with the bigger one to stretch the lips till it can hold a 6 inch (15cm) round clay disc. The Mursi men wear very little, although a cotton wrap is becoming more common now. Then, Transfer to Jinka Airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. Meals at own expense Drinks not included
Destination: Addis Ababa (City) Stay: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals: Meals at own expense Drinks not included
Tour step
End of tour
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.
Included
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All flights during the tour
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Excluded
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Getting There
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
This operator can select your international flights, but you'll have to book them yourself
Fly to/from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD - Check price)
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost
Offered by
Ethiopian Expedition
5.0 operator rating
8 reviews
Ethiopian Expedition is a locally owned tour operator in Ethiopia offering cultural, wildlife, photographic, and adventure tours. Specializing in small-group and private journeys, the company delivers authentic experiences led by expert local guides. Each itinerary highlights Ethiopia’s landscapes, heritage, and living cultures with a strong focus on comfort and responsible travel.
Office In
Ethiopia
Size
1-5 employees (Founded in 2012)
Member Of
ETOA, ETGPA & TETOA
Tour Types
Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
Destinations
Ethiopia
Traveler feedback
Reviews
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5Reliable and professionals!
We worked with Ethiopian Expedition and Tesfaw’s team for our MLab25 group in September. His team was with us throughout the entire week, driving our group as part of a tailor-made program, and everything ran perfectly smoothly. Tesfaw and his team demonstrated outstanding professionalism, reliability, and efficiency throughout the entire week. The transport services were perfectly organized, punctual, and smooth, even on Meskel Day, which is no small achievement given the scale of the celebrations. Their flexibility, attention to detail, and calm management made a real difference for our group experience. We felt well taken care of at all times. We highly recommend Tesfaw and Ethiopian Expedition for any group or individual travel needs in Ethiopia. A trustworthy partner you can rely on with complete confidence.
Geraldine TEXIER · France
Excellent service
We had an incredible one week trekking experience in the Simien Mountains. Everything was perfectly organized by Ethiopian Expedition, and the service was professional, well-planned, and excellent throughout the trip.
Solomon Afmasu · Ethiopia
Unforgettable trip to Ethiopia
Our visit to Ethiopia was a rich and memorable experience from culture historical religious and human perspectives as well as through its beautiful nature and landscapes.our excellent guide Tesfaw who accompanied us throughout the entire trip was outstanding and succeeded in giving us a genuine and authentic picture of Ethiopia. The organization and the supporting team contributed greatly to our sense of comfort which further enhanced our enjoyment of the journey.
Noga · Israel
Truly Unforgettable Trips
The Ethiopian Expedition Team made our 15-day trip to Ethiopia truly unforgettable. We explored the historic north, including the Simien Mountains and the Gheralta churches, as well as the Danakil Depression and the culturally diverse Omo Valley. Everything was well organized from start to finish. Communication was smooth and timely, and our drivers and guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and professional, both with us and with the local communities. We highly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to Ethiopia.
Allen@rock · United States
Practical answers
Tour FAQs
Are rates charged per person?
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
Which currency is this tour priced in?
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
Can children join this tour?
This tour accepts children of all ages.
Can this tour start on my preferred date?
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
Can the itinerary be customized?
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Where do travelers stay during this tour?
Ferej Hotel Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included - Budget in Harar (Town) – Breakfast Included. Meals: Breakfast Included
Where does this tour start and end?
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
Are airport transfers included?
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Operator policy
Terms and Conditions
Disclaimer
This tour is offered by Ethiopian Expedition, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
If you request changes to this tour, the advertised rates will likely change.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. If flights cost more, your quote will reflect this.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
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